Past: Alive, long and true
by Bexi
Summary: ABANDONED: When Android 17 is found and brought back to Bulma's, his and 18's deadly past is revealed. How will 18 react when she learns the truth about what happened with Dr Gero?
1. Chapter One

**_Title:_**Past: Alive, long and true****

**_Author:_**Bexi****

**_E-mail address:_**Madmangabexx@hotmail.com****

**_Rating:_**PG-13 because of mild violence and strong language, with references to drug use and of a mature material in some areas. 

**_Genre: _**Angst, humour, action with little adventure  

**_Summary:_**When Android 17 is found and brought back to Bulma's, his and 18's deadly past is revealed. How will 18 react when she learns the truth about what happened with Dr Gero?****

**_Disclaimer:_** I, unfortunately, do not own any DragonBall Z related characters, they are property of whoever created them and I have no right, or legal matter, to say that I own them.  I am merely borrowing them for the short space of time that my fic is up.  Any characters that are not recognised as DragonBall Z characters are of my own.

**_Series: _**This fic takes place after the Cell saga, but before the World Martial Arts Tournament.   So Trunks is 8, Goten is 7 and little Marron is whatever age she is then.

**_Feedback:_**Please, I love to receive feedback from all you readers out there who feel that certain things may not piece up together.  Constructive criticism is also appreciated if helpful to the fic.   

            In arrows = Character is thinking to themselves.

PAST: ALIVE, LONG AND TRUE

By Bexi

Chapter One: Surprise Discoveries

            The radiating sun was scorching hot, the rays blazing down onto the dry, sandy ground.  It hadn't rained in such a long time, sometimes when the evening drew near the blistering temperature dropped.  The odd shower of blissful rain was a present, and no water was for miles.  The last watering hole had been approximately four days ago, so by the time it took him to return he would have most likely died of dehydration (if possible).  So he keep up the quickened pace and persistently walked the distance that he would need, each step becoming harder to take than the last.  He had wished many a times that he could just take off from this wretched hellhole and fly away to his freedom, but he was far too weak to do so.  He wondered to himself several time, the sound of his own voice echoing through his mind was what kept him sane -- yet on the same lines of worry for this theory.

            I'm far to weak to fly, but can put myself through the sheer torture of walking miles on end for days with nothing but a cacti for comfort! 

            He had ceased on speaking, knowing that it would take up too much energy to do so.  What was the reason if there was no one present to converse with? 

            He groaned mindfully, he couldn't tolerate the inferno any longer, his legs growing more and more weary with each passing second.  The blistering rays beaming down onto his back.  He couldn't raise his head too high, as a great wave of pain would radiate down the back of his neck.  Every muscle in his body ached, even the small tendons in his hands.  His eyes grew tediously heavy, but sleep was the least thing on his mind at the moment.  All he wanted to do was escape from this desert area, go to a place where the grass would grow freely and streams would flow.

            After a struggling battle against himself, he gave up to the messages his body was sending his brain and collapsed to his knees.  He dearly enjoyed the feel of the warm sand between his fingers and the excess pressure that was taken off his feet and legs.  He rolled up the long white sleeves that had slipped down the last time he had pulled them up and then scooped a handful of soft, silky sand as he just let the bronzy grains slip through his fingers.  For a brief moment he had completely forgotten about the sun's heat wave.       

            It was times like this where he just wanted to give up, just to forget about walking and all the troubles that had been caused.  But he couldn't give up -- he WOULDN'T give up -- his pride wouldn't let him.  He had spent so long in search for his sister and now was no exception; he was doing this for her and her alone.  He wouldn't let himself quit, he wasn't a quitter.  He was filled with determination to find her and then things would be the same again, they could go back to being as they were before Cell came into the picture.  

            Cell!

            The thought of Cell made his blood boil.

            Cell!  If it weren't for Cell, I wouldn't be in this situation.  I would still be terrorising Earth and Goku would have died by my hands.  All of them would have been killed … slow and painfully!  I can't see that happening anytime soon.  Everyday I can feel them growing stronger and now I can feel new levels -- who they are generated by, I don't know.  He sighed, closing his bright blue eyes.  Just where IS my sister?  I've been searching for so long now.

            By the day he grew weaker, and he didn't know what would happen if he didn't get out of the sun.

            The radiating heat was beginning to go to his head as he was initiated in an inner conflict between his head and his heart.  His heart was constantly informing him to keep up his search for his sister, that he WOULD find her eventually … but his head told him to forget her, that if she cared about him then she would be searching too and they would meet in the middle.

            He didn't know what -- or who -- to listen to.  All these voices rushing through his head all at once.  He gripped his head and dropped closer to the floor in pain.

            Why wouldn't the voices go?

            "Stop it, leave me alone!" he screamed in agony.  "It's not true, my sister cares for me as much as I do her.  She wouldn't give up just like that; she's not like that!  She wouldn't do that!"

If she cares so much, _then where is she_?  Why isn't she searching for you now?  The voice was filled with mockery and hatred.  She doesn't need you anymore … she never did. And never will!

            "Stop it!  You're lying, I know you're lying!"

            He tried to stand but the pain was intolerable, causing him to fall back with each attempt.

            Am I really the one who's lying?  I think that I'm very much telling the truth. _ All she did was mock you.  She never took you seriously _-- and now she's happy … understand?  She's happier without you around then she was with you.

            "You don't know what you're speaking about!  She wouldn't throw all we've been through.  On Earth, with Dr Gero, before the whole incident happened!"

            She doesn't even remember most of that; Dr Gero disabled most of her memories … _remember_?  She knows nothing of what happened before you were released.  You, on the other hand, can remember; you have all those horrendous memories.  Not her, you!  You don't want to make her life any worse by revealing to her what happened, _do you_?  That is … if you ever _do_ find her again.

            "I will find her; I know I will find her!  All I have to do is keep looking, the more I look, the closer I'll get to finding her."  He began to get more agitated by the voice, he refused to believe what it spoke of, but it was so convincing.                     

            If she wants to found, that is!  You're a disgrace to her, you give her a bad name -- like all the people you knew.  You wonder why nobody wants to be near you, it's because you are a disgrace to them all.  This is your punishment!  You can keep saying that your sister cares for you, by there's no use in lying to yourself -- you know the truth.  You're just living a lie; a big fat lie … and now you're caught up in the centre and can't get loose!   

            Did you ever wonder why she never helped you when Dr Gero constantly hurt you?  She did nothing to help or stop it.  She saw that you were hurt and what did she do to help you?

            Nothing!

            Absolutely nothing, she sat and watched you being hurt day after day.  She probably took pleasure in seeing her sibling fall. The voice became even more loud and harsh with each word spoken, causing more surges of pain to gush through his head. 

            "No … no, that's not true!  She couldn't help me!  If she could, she would … but she couldn't help me!"  He was trying to hold back the salty tears, but couldn't stop the odd ones from falling to the ground as he dug his hands into the sand, watching his pride fall with the tears.

            Couldn't … or _wouldn't_?  You're just making this harder on yourself.  Stop putting yourself through so much pain … you're better off without her like she is you.  

            You can start a new, get stronger and fulfil your destiny.  Make the Earth pay for all that has happened to you, make the Earth pay and all it's people fall!  Kill all who stand in your way … including your sister.

            "No!  I will not kill or harm my own sister.  I won't listen to you!  The less I here, the less you'll say."  He held his head tighter than before; he refused to heed what the voice had to say.  He would endure any pain that came along, if only the voices would go.

            You are not the person you're thought to be!  You are nothing!  Nothing but a worthless and feeble nobody.  No wonder your sister left you … you are weak -- no matter what you say.  You stand no chance of surviving the world out there.  You will perish and fall, and none would be the wiser.  You ARE a disgrace … to your family; your sister … even Dr Gero would be ashamed of you now.  You can't even take the pleasure in destroying yourself as the Earth dragon removed your self-detonation.  

            You have failed … nothing but a failure.  A meaningless coward … worthless and weak.  They all laugh when you fall and watch then you lie.          

            "No," he murmured, defeated. 

            Yes.  Your overconfidence was your downfall.  You were too confident of your powers, you believe everyone should fear you … when in reality no one should be afraid of you.  You aren't even human, why should the human race fear something that isn't human?  You are just a creation of Dr Gero, remember that!

            I think that you have finally come to your senses, realised that what I speak of is the truth.  I speak no lie … no matter what you believe.  You were never needed by anyone, not your sister or Dr Gero.  The only reason you are still functional is because the Saiyans and the other Z fighters believe you to be dead.  If they were aware of your presence, they would have come and destroyed the remainder of you years ago.  

            I think I'll leave you now to ponder on how useless you are!

            With that last piece, the voice became silent, but the words continued to echo throughout his head.  The pain had gradually ceased as he slowly lowered his hands, contemplating what had been spoken to him.  The voice was cold, harsh and of a certain tone, the words, cutting through him like a razor-sharp knife.  Slowly cutting into his flesh, so deep that nothing would be the same.  He felt as if he were hanging on a thin piece of thread and was coming undone with each word.  The voice had become the last straw, the last fine thread that held Android 17 together, and all it did was sever that fine tread.

            "No.  It- it can't be true."  His voice was devoid of all its earlier pride and glory, that confidence that made Android 17 whole.  "But, it makes so much sense, and explains so much.  She _was_ better off without me," he said in misery, but of full heart.

            He grasped to the sandy grains once more as he pushed himself up, despite the pain it had caused.  It flooded his whole body, but he seemed to ignore it -- let it take its toll.  Wearily, he walked away, the location was still unknown, but he didn't care at this practically space in time.  He just wanted -- no needed -- to get away from this place that had inflicted much pain upon him.  All he wanted now was the truth.  Was the voice right?  He wanted answers, no more lies.  He grew sick of wondering them; did his sister want him gone?  Was he useless?  Was he a total disgrace?  He wanted the truth and was determined to get it -- no matter at the cost!

            He kept up the slow and steady pace as he wondered about what his life had become.  He hated looking back into his past, what he'd known and his sister didn't.  Did he do something to cause him to know?  To make this happen?  He shook his head callously, trying not to think of all that passed … when the time came, he would.

            He continued when he roughly fell to the ground, clutching his stomach.  Crying out in pain, he seized a handful of hot sand.  He was unable to detect what the pain was and how it occurred; it just continued it raging course down his body.  When he attempted to stand, the pain increased to a worse level, until it got the better of him and all went black.

*********************

            Trunks and Goten were quickly flying back; they were currently late for dinner, and if Goten was late, Chi-chi would go off the deep end.  She didn't like people being late, especially if she'd spent along time on dinner, which she did today.  She had decided that she would make a special dinner, one that they would remember for along time.  She had meat, fish, and vegetables, cheese … the whole lot.  You name it, she had prepared it.   

            "Trunks, we'd better hurry, my Mom'll kill me if I'm really late, and you know how she gets?" he said as he looked back at Trunks.

            "Don't worry, Goten, we can always make up an excuse saying that we were rescuing a lost little dinosaur from a T-rex.  We can't let it get eaten now, can we?" 

            "Well, no.  But that didn't happen, Trunks."

            "Well, it kinda did.  We _did_ run into a T-rex."

            "You flushed it out!" he exclaimed.

            "Yeah well, we _saw_ a T-rex, what else matters?"  He hurried a little, just to try and fly fast that Goten.

            "Trunks?" the black haired boy said quietly.

            "What is it, Goten?" Trunks replied, taking a quick glance at Goten.

            "What if our Moms find out that we went further than we were supposed to?" he played up defensively.

            Trunks suddenly stopped and looked further back at Goten.

            "Goten, they _won't_ find out."  He flew back to the black haired saiyan.  "Not if _you_ don't tell them."  He rubbed his small nose and grinned at Goten.  "You can keep a secret, can't you?"

            "Yeah, course I can."  He too stopped and looked at Trunks surprisingly.

            "Just," Trunks began, "just think of this as a secret, Goten.  You don't tell your mom and I won't tell mine.  That way, we don't get told off," he said smugly, crossing his arms and smiling at Goten.

            "O- Okay then.  I can do that.  We'd better hurry, Trunks, we still have miles to go.  We haven't even reached the desert yet!"  He started flying off, leaving Trunks behind. 

            "H- hey Goten!  Wait for me!" he shouted, while he began flying again to catch up with Goten.

            They flew high over the desert when Goten suddenly noticed something odd on the sandy ground.  He stopped and looked at it from the height from where he was, wondering what it could be.  Trunks didn't notice that Goten had stopped until he was about to say something to him.  He stopped and looked to see where Goten was when he saw Goten looking down at the desert and flew over towards him.

            "Goten, why'd you stop?" he asked curiously.

            "I think I can see something down there."  He pointed down at the sand and Trunks followed where he was pointing with his eyes.

            "Huh, what's that?" he asked.

            "I don't know."  He looked at Trunks eagerly.  "Can we check it out?!"

            "I thought you wanted to get home quickly?"  He raised an eyebrow and looked at the younger boy, smiling.

            "I do, I do!  But it could be something really cool!"

            "I guess you're right, Goten."  He looked harder at what the figure was.  "We'd better check it out, it could be deadly."

            Both the two small boys looked at each other happily.  They didn't say anything, but the smiles on the faces slowly grew larger.

            "FIGHT!!" they both shouted as they flew over towards the thing.

            They landed carefully onto the soft grains of sand beneath them and scurried over to what they saw.  Trunks walked closer to it and knelt down beside it.

            "It looks dead," he exclaimed.

            "Is it human?" Goten asked nervously, bit by bit edging closer to Trucks.

            "Yeah, well he certainly looks human, so I presume he is.  But what would a person be doing this far out in the desert?  I've never seen them before."

            "What do you think we should do, Trunks?  Should we leave him or take him back?  Your mom could check him to see if he's alive and help him.  But I don't think we should leave him here … it's just plain mean.  I was always taught to help a person if they needed it."

            "Me too," he said as he felt the person's face.  "They're not cold, so I don't think there dead.  He looks beat though, so I think we should hurry and get him back to my mom, she can help him."

            Goten walked next to the dark haired figure and grabbed hold of their left arm and Trunks did the same with the right. They put the arms around their necks and slowly lifted themselves off the ground, making sure not to drop the being.

            "Ready, Trunks?" Goten asked.  Trunks nodded and they began to fly back to Capsule Corp.

*********************

            Bulma was outside Capsule Corp, waiting impatiently for her son to arrive.  She already had Chi-chi on the phone, asking if she knew where Goten was.  Bulma had to say that she didn't know where they were, getting an earful off Chi-chi and saying that Goten was suppose to be at home having a special meal.  She stood there, thinking of a punishment for Trunks.  She figured that cleaning the whole house for a month would be suitable, but then she swiftly remembered when she asked him to give her a hand cleaning the front room.  It took her two days by the time Trunks had helped her.  So that was out of the question.  Mowing the lawns was going to be her next choice, but quickly remembered what happened that time as well.  He decided that it would be quicker to burn the grass away, instead of cutting it.  She then came up with the perfect punishment for him, no training for a whole month and no going out to do secret training or doing training while out with Goten.  He wouldn't be able to go out unattended, but she had a feeling that Chi-chi would probably punish Goten for being over half an hour late, so they wouldn't be seeing each other for at least a month -- if not longer.

            She could see them slightly and was about to shout at them suddenly when she noticed they had someone with them.  She didn't know who it was, but when they came into sight a bit better she instantly recognised the person.  She gasped as the two boys carefully placed the person down on the ground.

            "Oh my gosh!  Android 17?!" she said, more shocked that scared.  "Where'd?"

            "We found him in the desert, mom.  We didn't know if we should leave him or not, so we decided to bring him here. 

            "Is he going to be all right? We didn't know when we found him," Trunks said.

            "Umm, I don't know," Bulma said, unsure what to make of it all.  

            "Mom, do you know him?" Trunks asked his mother when he saw the shocked expression on her face.

            "Yes, son.  You could say that.  He's 18's twin brother," she said; as she knelt down to see if he was fine.

            "18 has a brother?  A twin one!?  I didn't know that," Goten said surprised 

            "She did and he's here," she said finally.  "Look boys, could you bring him inside for me?  He looks pretty worn."

            "Sure," they both said as they walked over to Android 17 and picked him up gently.

            They brought Android 17 into Bulma's research area and placed him down gently onto a large white operating table in the centre of the room.  Bulma told Goten that he should be going home before Chi-chi gets even more infuriated than she is now and she told Trunks to got and play outside.  Both boys reluctantly listened to Bulma and left the room.  Leaving her alone with Android 17.

            She walked lightly over to the android.

            "What am I going to do when you wake up?" she asked the android.  "I don't think you're the 'thank you' kind.  I'll have to find some way to make sure you don't go around attacking people when you do wake."  She scratched her head slightly.  "That _should_ be my main priority … but what could I possibly do?" 

            She walked away from the sleeping android and walked to her computer. 

            "Think, Bulma, think!  How would you stop a deadly android from destroying things?" she said casually, as if it was a normal thing.  "I'd better hurry and think of a way and hope that he doesn't wake up soon.  If he does then … oh, I don't even want to think about if he does." 

            She sat down on the black swivel chair and started to type on the computer. 

            Should I let 18 know that her brother is here?  That's the really reason he's here isn't it?  I'll have to find some way of disabling him first, and then I'll tell her. 

            No wait!  I'll tell Krillin!  If he wants to tell her than it's up to him.

            She swiftly picked up the receiver on the phone and punched in the numbers.  It rung for about 10 seconds before Krillin answered.

            "Krillin?" she asked.

_            "Oh, hey, Bulma.  What's up?" he replied to her voice._

            "Um, I've got some news that you _might_ find a slight bit…" She trailed off thinking of the perfect word to tell him.  "…Disturbing."

_            "Well what is it, Bulma?" he asked curiously, wondering what it could be._

            "Umm, well you know 18?" she said bit by bit.

_            "Course I do, she's my wife," he laughed._

            "Well I've -- I've got something that she might like to know," the woman said nervously.  "Whether you want to tell her or not is your business." 

_            "What is it, Bulma?  What are you trying to say?" he asked anxiously. _

            "Okay then, here goes nothing.  It's just that -- well, 18's brother 17, is here," she spoke quickly.

_            "What!"_

            "Yeah."

_            "Where?  How?  Why!?"_

            "Calm down, Krillin," she continued.  "He's at the lab right now and he's kind of unconscious," she said more calmly.

_            "Unconscious?"_

            "Yeah, Trunks and Goten found him unconscious in the desert and brought him back.  I have to admit, he looks terrible, Krillin.  That's why I rung you.  I didn't know whether 18 should know about her brother.  So I'm leaving it up to you to tell her or not.  But I'm almost 100% certain that when he wakes, he'll want to see her." 

            _"Guess I can't keep this a secret from her, can I?  She deserves to know about him. _

_            "What are you going to do when he wakes up?  Won't he try to attack you or something?  You really should have someone to protect you there, Bulma.  Maybe you should find Vegeta?"_

            "He's training outside and doesn't want to be disturbed.  Besides, he'll probably destroy Android 17 the minute he sees him"

_            "Maybe that's the best thing!" he said stuck-up_

            "Krillin! That's not exactly what I had in mind.  You can't see him, Krillin.  I guess seeing is making me feel sorry for him.  He looks nothing the way he did before … he actually looks … harmless."

_            "Call him harmless when he's blasting off your head," he laughed._

            "Yeah, well.  I've come up with an idea that might be able to stop him from destroying things, but I need to work on it. 

            "So will you tell her?" she inquired.

_            "I have no choice.  I'd best tell her as soon as possible."_

            "If she cares for you, it won't bother her.  I know she cares for you … so don't worry," she said softly.

_            "Thanks, Bulma.  Well I'll see you later."_

            "Yeah." 

            She put the receiver down and went back to her work.  Typing fast on the keyboard.  A small picture came up on the screen, a rectangular chip with figures around it.  Bulma sighed and continued typing.

            "It says it will only work for a couple of days.  It won't be able to contain his strength to long.  A couple of days are better than nothing right?  But I could make it so it works for a weeks.  That's a little better than three days."

            She typed then looked at the screen again.  She shook her head and pressed another button to remove the picture.  Seconds later a similar figure appeared.  Same picture, but smaller and slightly larger figures.

            "The figures should work.  I'm only estimating his strength from 18 and what I've been told.  Hope its right.  If he's stronger than I'm done for.  Let's see," she murmured.  "The figures are high, about 350,000,00.  Then I've got to add more on to that.  But I can't forget the capacity of the devise -- it can't overload.  As long as he doesn't overpower the devise we're fine … he might not be looking for a fight, but just in case."  She started trailing off, speaking more quietly to herself.  "If I carry that, then multiply it by 64, all I have to do is find the square root of the third number.  Oh, not forgetting to divide the sixth number by the second.  That should give me the fixed rate for one day.  Then if I multiply that by 7 I can have the full week, but I still need to do something about the tenth figure and that hidden figure -- it must mean something if it's hidden.  If I estimate the hidden number I could be way out of course … but I can't leave it unnoticed.  I'll just have to leave that until one of the last figures.  For the daily rate, it should be that, but it doesn't look right.  That's too low -- way too low for him.  That's where I need to figure the hidden one.  If I multiply all the figures by 10, subtract them by the second and forth figure, finding the square root of the ninth.  Divide that by three, leaving an anonymous number -- which could very well be the hidden value!  If it is that, then I can do this for a fixed week.  But I can't put do much into the device … this better be right. 

            "Wait a minute!  I completely forgot about the first figure!  All than for nothing!" 

            She slammed her fists down on the keyboard and looked back at Android 17.

            "You're more trouble than you're worth!"  

            She started to think back for a moment to when she made that device to disable the androids completely. 

            The blueprints. 

            She still had the blueprints for Android 17. 

            "Of course!" 

            She jumped out of her seat and walked over to a white cabinet, opening it slightly.  She pulled out a roll of paper and went back to her desk.  She unrolled the blueprints and started to examine them. 

            "That calculation I did was only a small piece of the puzzle.  I still have to put all the small details into it.  I'm going to be here for a long time … I can feel it."

            She continued to look over the blueprints and jot down small calculations on the end and underneath the figures already written. 

*********************

            Krillin sat inside his home, waiting for his wife to come home from shopping with Marron.  He tried to calm himself down, but couldn't help but twitch. Android 17 was back.  Was he back to try and take 18 with him?  Did he want to destroy their family?  Krillin was determined to keep his family as strong as ever.  No one was going to come between him and 18, not even 17 himself.  He didn't even have a clue as to how 18 would react to the news.  Would she be happy or sad?  She spent ages looking for him, but gave up and settled down with Krillin.  Would she decide to ditch her family to be back with her brother?

            Krillin was pretty sure that she wouldn't do anything to endanger her family.  He only hoped he was right. 

            He was about to relax when he heard the front door open and saw his wife and daughter walk in.  The little blonde hair girl ran to her dad and hugged him.

            "Daddy, daddy," she greeted him happily. 

            Krillin picked up the small child and held her tightly in his arms.  He wasn't going to let no one take his daughter away from him.

            "Daddy … you're squeezing me too tight," Marron squirmed as she tried to wriggle free.  Krillin saw this and loosened his grip on Marron.

            "Sorry, sweetie."  He put the child down and walked over to 18, who was putting things away in the kitchen.  "Hey, 18."

            "Hi," she replied, not looking at him.  Instead she was too busy putting things in the refrigerator. 

            "Um, Bulma rung earlier," he stuttered.

            "Did she?  What did she want?"

            "Ummm, well she.  She said that.  Umm."

            18 stopped putting things away and looked at Krillin curiously.

            "What's wrong?  You're trembling!" she stated and she rested a hand on his shoulder.  "You can tell me," she said softly.

            "Well, you see."  He swallowed and decided to just spit it out.  "Trunks and Goten found 17 in the desert and took him back to Bulma.  Bulma rung me because she didn't know whether you'd want to know about him, so she rung me and said it was up to me if I wanted to tell you or not, and I choose that I'd best tell you because marriages are all about trust and I really want you to trust me with all your heart so I told you."  He stopped and started panting heavily.

            "17's back?" she replied in shock.  Krillin nodded.  

            She was silent for a long time; Krillin didn't know how she would react, so he just let her.

            He finally spoke up.

            "Are you all right?" he asked her sweetly and concernedly. 

            "Yeah, just the shock of 17 being back, that's all.  I don't know whether I should be glad or annoyed."

            "Don't worry," Krillin reassured her, "I guess it came to me as a shock as well."  He sat down next to his wife and comforted her. 

            "Where is he?"

            "At Bulma's place … unconscious.  She said that she'd be able to make a device so he can't go around destroying things."  He paused and looked at 18's cheerless face.  "Don't sweat. He's not going to be destroying our family.  No mater how hard he tries.  Nothing will come between us."

            She looked at him and smiled in agreement.

            "Should I go and see him?" she finally asked.

            "It's up to you … you can go if you feel up to it," he said lovingly. 

            "Will you come with me?" she requested him softly as she laid her head on his chest.

            "Sure I will.  What about Marron?  Should we leave her with Master Roshi?" he asked.

            18 sat up and looked at him, placing her hands firmly on her hips.

            "It think I'd rather take her to see my brother than leave her with that old man," she said sternly.

            Krillin started laughing at her softly.

            "All right," he said as he slowly stood up, followed by 18.  "Marron! C'mon, sweetie, we're going out!"

            The small blonde child ran in thought the front door excitedly, jumping around the house.

            "Yeah, we're going out, we're going out!  Where're we going?" she asked clueless.

            Both 18 and Krillin laughed at her.

            "Bulma's, honey," he told her.

            "Yay, Bulma's."  She ran out the front door and onto the sand.

            "Ready?" Krillin asked his wife kindly.  She nodded slowly and they both walked out the door.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two: The Unconscious Mind

            The blue haired genius had worked long and hard to find a way to restrain Android 17 for when he wakes up.  So far all she made managed to do was mess the whole thing up and lose a lot of time because she had made the vital mistake of making the device to weak.  He'd be able to deactivate it with ease because of the way Dr Gero had created him -- so no one could tamper with his creations.  But Bulma, being the genius she is, managed to go around the situation.  She finally had the device that she needed, a small microchip that had the power to, not control Android 17, but keep him from creating havoc on the world.

            She sat comfortably on the computer chair and held the silver chip between her fingers and just stared at it for a moment.  

            All that time taken, forged into a small chip. 

            She was extremely pleased that she had managed it in such a small space of time -- a couple of hours.  All that was left to do now was to insert the chip into Android 17's brain (a Spike thing from out of Buffy).  The problem there, being that she couldn't access it, and she had to access it on computer before actually implanting it.  She had sat there for an hour and still the solution hadn't come to her. 

            "Why'd Dr Gero have to be so damn specific with his creations?" she huffed.  "They really are something else.  I can't do anything with this chip unless I can access his brain via the computer, and if I can't do that all this work was a waste and I won't be able to stop him if he happens to go on a rampage," she spoke to herself; gaze still fixed on the chip.

            Bulma clutched the chip in the palm of her hand swiftly and stood up.  She looked around her lab, hoping that an idea might come to her.  She looked at the cabinets, the door, the windows, but still nothing came.  She walked over to the sleeping android in the centre of the room and looked at him.

            "Maybe he has some kind of switch at the back of his head.  It's very unlikely, but hey, anything's possible -- and I'm desperate."

            She placed the chip in the pocket of her light blue jeans and started to feel at the base of his neck, but felt nothing.  She suddenly withdrew her hand and stared at 17.

            "That's strange," she murmured.  "I could have been sure he moved.  But he's not moving now … how strange." 

            She went back and observed the android; he looked very lifeless and dreary.  Bulma also felt a small tinge of sorrow for the android; she couldn't help it, just the sight of him.  So sad and unhappy.

            "It's hard to believe that such a heartless thing could look so despondent.  What am I going do with you if I can't insert this chip?" she asked.  "It's not going be very likely for you to just give up and say, 'hey, look I'm sorry. Let's call a truce,' now is it?"

            She began to think again when her concentration was disturbed suddenly.  She thought that she heard something -- a voice.  She looked at 17 and prepared for the worse. 

            She expected him to jump up and kill her instantly, enjoying the pain of others … but that didn't come.  She saw him thrashing around and mumbling something. 

            "Is he talking in his sleep?" Bulma wondered aloud.

            He began to shake more viciously now and started to speak clearly.  Bulma walked closer, but not too close, just in case.  She then stood and listened carefully to what he said.

            "No!  Lieta, get outta here.  Now!  Go!  You can't stay here; it's not safe.  If he -- if he catches you, he'll just hurt you … please get outta here."

            Bulma gazed at him as he spoke.  His voice was full of deep emotion, he sounded hurt.

            "Who's, Lieta?" she asked herself.

            "Lieta!  No!!"

*********************

            Krillin, 18 and Marron were inside the large yellow hover-car riding over to Capsule Corp to see Bulma.  Krillin was driving with his wife sat in the passenger seat next to him, and Marron was strapped in the back seat.  She was singing a happy and merry tune to herself and counting the number of birds they passed.  She stopped singing and looked outside.

            "What's that?" she said as she pointed to something outside the car.

            18 turned to look at what her daughter was pointing at.

            "That's a hand glider, Marron," she replied softly. 

            "A hand what?"

            "Hand glider.  They're old things that people used so they could fly through the air.  Not many are around anymore … they became out dated."

            "Oh," she said.  "Pretty isn't it?"

            "Yeah."

            She sat back and looked at Krillin, his face was tensed up and he had a strong firm grip on the steering wheel.  She smiled and laughed softly at him. 

            He looked at her confusedly.  "What are you laughing at?"

            "You.  You're more worried about seeing my brother that I am."

            "What do you expect?" he said.  "You remember what your brother was like, don't you?"

            "Yes, I do know what he was like," she said darkly.  "But … it _has_ been 7 years. Maybe -- just maybe -- he's changed."

            "I don't think so, 18 … he was bad to the bone. Nothing could change him … not even the Dragon Balls."

            "I changed," she simply said, her gaze leaving her husband and focusing outside.

            "Yeah, but you're different, 18," Krillin began his case.

            18 instantly looked at Krillin and glared at him.

            "And how am _I _any different to my brother?!" the blonde quizzed him sternly.

            He hesitated a little before answering 18's question.  He didn't really know how to answer it, all he knew that that she was different to 17.

            "Umm, well.  Everyone's different, 18."  He tried to laugh the problem away, but 18 still glared at him.

            "**How** am I different?!  I know I am … but **how**?!"  She crossed her arms firmly and noticed Krillin clutch harder to the wheel.

            "Err … well, you see, 18.  It's just you're in someway different to 17.  Would he really want to settle down with a human and have a family?" he laughed.  "He felt no remorse to all the people he…" He noticed she was staring at him more intensely now that before. "…You two killed."

            "Neither did I feel remorse then."

            She wanted her husband to be fully aware of what she was getting at and for him to understand what she was thinking and how she saw the situation present at hand.

            "Then, 18," Krillin said defensively.  "That was then and this is now.  You feel remorse now don't you?  You wouldn't go and kill anyone in cold blood now, would you?"  He looked at her and watched as her head dropped.  He leant over and ran a hand through her soft blonde hair.

            "I … was around you people," she began slowly.  "I eventually learnt that you are not my enemy, but my friends.  That it would be pointless to purposely attack something that is far weaker to you.  I learnt to care about you all … emotionally.  I began to feel what you feel, the emotion called love.  I admit that I would never have even considered being with a human, let alone have a family, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, nothing. 

            "I love my family with all my heart … but 17 is still my family, Krillin, and I love him as much as I do you and Marron.  Family is everything -- that's what you human's have taught me, so I can't abandon him can I?"  She took a deep breath as she continued. "17 has never really been around you people.  When he was, they either ran from him or attacked him.  He's doesn't know what it's like to have friends, he was never given the chance I was. 

            "It's been 7 years; do you think that he would have had much contact with you all?  To him humans are his enemies … something to destroy.  He lives in the world of kill or be killed, the hunter or the hunted, the predator or the prey.  Do you understand what I am saying, Krillin?"

            Krillin nodded in understanding as he slowed the car down a bit and continued to listen to the pretty blonde.

            "I had all you guys around to help me.  When I didn't understand all these emotions you all told me it was natural to feel all of them.  My brother has no one to tell him that they are right.  He'd most likely suppressed them all. 

            "All he needs is friends like I have.  If I can be accepted then so can my brother … I will make sure of that!"

To be continued…


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three: Mind and Matter

            She slumped back into the swivel chair in relief, after what seemed like days had all been worth it, she'd managed to insert the chip it his brain structure, it was long and hard work, but she managed it.  She actually felt like running around her lab in joy, she would never have been able to finish her work so fast if she didn't have the constant fear of him waking up and killing her.  But now with that small chip, none will be the wiser, you can hardly tell.  People were safe, he wouldn't suddenly attack them. 

            "To think," she began, "I was going to use a remote devise instead.  I don't know how I ever came up with the idea of a small chip, but it's a good thing I did."  She remembered back to what happened before.  "Look what happened when I gave Krillin that remote to shutdown you androids, if he had used that, then I wouldn't be here making this world a safer place … and Krillin wouldn't be happy.  I guess he did the right thing, in a way."  She scratched her head.  "Well, it wasn't a good idea at the time, I guess it's one of those situations that you have to look back on and be thankful … yeah."

            She picked up her mug and drunk the last of her frothy cappuccino.

            "Ah, nothing like a frothy cappuccino after a hard days work." 

            She put the mug back down on the desk, next to nine other mugs.

            She looked over to the android and stood up as she walked next to him. The blue haired genius looked at him oddly and shook her head.

            "I'm quite surprised you haven woken up yet -- not that I want you to, but still…" She walked back to her chair.  "At least you calmed down a bit, that must have been some dream, you were really upset.  Just who is Lieta?"  She sniggered slightly at what her subliminal thought.  "Like you'd tell me, but I'm like really curious now." 

            She looked around the lab and at the door.

            "Maybe just a little nosey, you're not planning on waking up any time soon.  I'm almost 100% certain that I have something, or if not I can wipe up something in no time to check out dreams … I do think that I have something." 

            She opened the cupboard door and rooted though, yelling in success as she pulling out a small silver and blue cube with small white buttons on the sides.  She placed it next to her computer and pushed the small button gently.  Suddenly the small cube expanded into a thin piece of metal, which she balanced on the side and pointed it directly to the android.

            "Good thing I kept this, who'd a thought it would come in handy again.  Luckily Yamcha came to me, asking if I could do something about this dream he had, only problem the silly idiot couldn't remember it."  She continued to laugh and speak to Android 17 as she was speaking to Krillin or another close friend.  "Let's see, that's it."

            She plugged a fine blue cable from the back of the cube into her computer and typed a five-letter code to activate it.  It glowed an electric blue before bleeping a couple of times.

            "Bulma!"

            She stopped what she was doing and looked at the door, the voice was familiar -- it was Krillin's.  

            He must have told 18 about her brother, why else would they be here? 

            She was quite disappointed about not being able to test out the invention, but maybe 18 would know about what he was talking about, they were brother and sister after all -- twins -- and they were always closer than close.  Maybe she might know.

            She stood up and walked out the door, closing it slightly behind her, not to make much noise.  No matter how harmless 17 might be now, she still didn't want the shock of walking into her lab and fining him standing there or just not there at all.

            "Hey, Bulma," said Krillin, standing next to 18 and Marron.

            "Hey guys, so you came.  I wasn't sure if you would show or not."  She bent down and waved at the small girl.  "Hey, Marron!"

            "Hallo, Bulma," the blonde child smiled. 

            Bulma smiled and stood back up to look at Krillin and 18.  Krillin stood there, tapping his foot on the floor, hands behind his back.  18 on the other hand looked vaguely calm.

            "So, Bulma," he began, "I take it 17's not awake then."

            "No.  How'd you know?" she asked bewildered, placing her hands in her jeans pocket.

            "Well I kinda figured -- seen as though you're not dead an all."

            "Krillin!"

            "He's just nervous about being near my brother," 18 spoke finally.  "What happened anyway?" she inquired.

            "I'm not to sure myself of what happened to him, all I know is that he was in the desert area when the boys found him and brought him back here."  She sat down on one of the seats and motioned for the others to sit as well.

            "When do you suppose he will wake up?"

            "I'm not sure, I was actually surprised that he hadn't already, he was muttering something in his sleep and I was wondering if you might know anything.  He sounded really upset and mentioned a name, Lieta. 

            "Have you ever heard that name?"

            18 thought for a moment, trying to scan her memory for anything on the name that Bulma had mentioned, but came up with the same thing … nothing.

            "No, I haven't," she responded to the genius.  "Never."

            Krillin walked forward and looked at the two women.  He smiled gingerly, which was followed by a slight laugh as he put his hands on his hips. 

            "So, what's the big deal if he mentioned a name in his sleep? It was probably just a dream, that's all.  See, not big deal."

            But no one listened to him, just ignored him and continued to speak.

            "What did he say?" 18 asked curiously, thinking that maybe it might trigger something off in her mind. 

            Bulma thought for a moment, trying to remember what is was exactly that he said, she didn't want to get it wrong and tell her complete rubbish.

            "Hmm, let's see…" she trailed on.  "He said:

            'No!  Lieta, get outta here.  Now!  Go!  You can't stay here; it's not safe.  If he -- if he catches you, he'll just hurt you … please get outta here.'

            "That was the exact same thing that he said … anything?"

            She took a glance to 18, who was deep in thought.  She was trying to remember anything that would fit in to help her, but she had not recollection of what happened before they were released. She had always presumed that her brother was the same as her, not able to remember anything.  She didn't even know if there was anything to remember before that!  She knew that she was human before becoming what she was, but couldn't reminisce on any of those long-forgotten memories.  She didn't know who or what her family were like or any of her friends -- she didn't even know what her real name was, she just went by the number that Dr Gero had given her.  18.  All she had known was that 17 was -- is -- her brother, her twin brother … so she gathered.  17 was her brother wasn't he?  He was like her, wasn't he?  Human before?  

            Why? 

            Why would Dr Gero do that though? He had many androids, why more? 

            Why them? 

            What did their parents do? 

            Did they have parents? 

            Did they care? If so what happened to them? Did they know what happened to their children, why let that happen? She couldn't understand the reason why. 

            Why have my brother and me?  _Why_?  Did he specifically want us, or just two people?

            Twins?  

            Relatives? 

            Us? 

            Why us?!  Why destroy our lives?  Did -- did we … want it this way? 

            I don't know any of these answers and I guess the only on who would know them was Dr Gero, but he's dead now, so will I never know?

            Does 17 know anything?  Something I don't … I need answers just as much as he does.  I **need** to find out!  I **will** find out!__

            When she looked around she saw Krillin looking at her worriedly.

            "Are you all right?" he enquired.

            She looked away from him, she didn't know how to answer that, she was all right, but she wasn't at the same time.

            "I don't know," she began subtly.  "I was just thinking … about my life before becoming an android.  My friends … my parents … my brother.  What ACTUALLY happened and why."         

            Krillin looked down to the ground then at his daughter.

            "Oh," he said downcast.  He could even begin to wonder what 18 was going through and what was going through her head at that moment.  He understood that family was important.  Even if she had a new family, she still had an old one.  It was just hard for Krillin to except that because he didn't like what was left of her family.  Maybe there were reasons behind actions?     

            "Only…" she drew off.

            Krillin looked up at her.

            "…Only when I thought about it all … nothing came to my mind.  I can't remember anything.  I don't know what happened … to me … my brother or the rest of my family -- if I even had one."  She looked down at the floor and sighed loudly.  "Why can't I remember?" she asked softly.

            "Don't worry, I'm sure that…" he trailed on, not knowing how to say what it was he wanted to say.  The truth was that whatever it was wasn't good; he didn't want to lie to her.  "I don't know what happened, love, and I can't even begin to image it.  But…" He looked at her, her face was so sad as she looked down to the ground.  He shook his head and put a hand on her shoulder.  She looked up and smiled faintly.  "I'm sure we can find out what happened, it might not be as bad as you made it out to be.  I bet your family tried their hardest to prevent it from happening."

            She looked at him and nodded happily.  "You might be right."

            "Course I am," he said gleefully.

            She laughed lightly at her husband's attempt to cheer her up, and it worked perfectly.  Whatever she would find out wouldn't be as hard as long as she had her family right along next to her, all she need was her family.

*********************

            Android 17 slowly opened his ice blue eyes, not sitting up, just letting his eyes get use to the scenery.  Where was he?  He couldn't remember getting out the desert, he _was_ glad that he was out, but wanted to stay there, he deserved to be there, not where he was now.  He wondered slightly were he was, he had never seen this place before.  Was it a dream?  Had the sun gotten to his head so much that he began to hallucinate?  So was this place just part of his mind?

            He gradually sat up and looked around at the room that he was in.  A computer in the corner hooked up to a strange device bleeping red, cupboards, and draws.  It wasn't until he looked down at what he was lying on, a white operating table, that he became alert.  He jumped off quickly and looked at the table and his surroundings…

            The room was black, deathly black and was filled with a foul stench that made his eyes water.  He rubbed them slightly and walked further inside, looking around carefully for what might loom inside of each nook and cranny.  Inside was filled with many strange devises, some large and some small, each one looking not to pleasing to the eye.  He glanced at the further end.  Large tube containers filled the whole line and some had people inside?  

            Could they really be people?  Some looked realistic and some, well…  He didn't want to see any more of this sickening stuff.  He turned to leave when he collided with something head on, knocking him hard to the ground.  He shook his head and slowly got off the ground to see what he ran into.  He feared for the worse, anything could be lurking in every dark corner of this place, so he really didn't want to look, just to get out of this place.

            He stood up straight and looked around, no dreaded monsters or vampires, deadly gremlins or goblins, just Dr Gero, standing there with his hands on his hips.  He had a stern grin on his oldish wrinkled face that curled into a smile, a wicked smile.

            "Hmm, curious were you?  You always were the more curious one out of you and your sister," he sneered.

            "What is this place, Dr?" he asked the older man quickly.

            "This?  Well, this is my lab, do you like it?"

            "Looks like something from out of one of those corny horror flicks," he said humourlessly.

            "Yes, well even I need inspiration," the old man laughed.  "You never answered my question, my dear lad.  Do you like it?"

            He slowly walked nearer to the lad as the boy slowly walked backwards, taking small steps, trying to get closer to the door and run.

            "Smells like someone's died."

            Dr Gero laughed at the youth.

            "I take it you don't like my sense of style?"

            The boy raised an eyebrow; he needed to get out of here and fast.  He told his sister he was only going for a walk … to get away from her constant nagging about him getting into fights.  What was he supposed to do?  But he knew that he didn't want her to come across this place.  If it was freaking him out then how would she react?

            "Can I go?" he replied soundly before dropping to a lighter tone.  "You know my sister, just as curious as me, you wouldn't want her to come across this…" He looked around before commenting on what he thought.  "Place."

            "After all I've done for you and your sister, I took you in after that tragic accident with your family," Dr Gero said in an oily voice. 

            He looked at him with sudden anger.  He never liked anyone talking about his family, he didn't like it here and wanted to get him and his sister as far away from this creep as possible, but it was more difficult than it seemed.  She actually enjoyed being here.  How? 

            "You really should be more grateful, my dear Niketa, not everyone gets to see my lab."

            "I see why," he said to himself.

            "What was that, my lad?"  He stayed calm with the boy; it was the best way to have his plan fulfilled. 

            "I need to go."  He turned around and began to walk away, straight to the door.

            "Not so fast, Niketa!"

            He turned around to face Dr Gero, he was no longer smiling, and he looked angrier. 

            "You're not going anywhere!  I can't let you go and tell everyone about what you've seen here!" he spat.

            "I'm not staying here!" he shouted at the Dr, making his point loud and clear.  "And believe me, I wouldn't want to tell anyone about this dump you call a lab!  Like I said before, Dr, I'm not staying here."

            "Yes … you are, and there's nothing you can do!"

            "What's is your problem?  What do you want?  You're a sick man and I hated every moment being near you!"  He clenched his fists and looked straight at the old man.

            "Is that so?" Dr Gero said slyly.  "Then why did you stay, you could have left, you know."  His voice was a lot more calmly this time, was he just toying with him.

            "No I couldn't!  You know that!  You made me stay!  You said you'd hurt my sister if I left."

            "And I'm sure she is utterly grateful for that, not every brother would take all the pain for his younger sibling, would they?" he smiled.

            "You think I wanted to?!" Niketa shouted astonished.  "You're sick, old man, I mean that.  I'm not staying here any longer and neither is my sister, we're outta here … right now!"  His voice was loud and eyes were cold, hatred aimed straight at Dr Gero.

            "Is that so?" he smiled.

            "Stop mocking me!"  Niketa was about to stride over, but thought against it.  "I'd like to see you try and make any of us stay here any longer than we already have.  I know your game and I also know the truth of what happened to my family.  You won't get away with it!  I'll make sure of that!"  His words were acid, but didn't affect the man at all; he was just smiling at the boy.  Not to say scary at the least.

            "Is that so?" he laughed.  "All right then, if you really think that you can get away, then I'll let you go.  Here, I'll even give you a two-minute head start and if I catch you then you have to stay, if you manage to get away, then congratulations."  He looked at the watch he had on is wrist and held his hand up.  "Two minutes … starts … now!  I'd run if I were you, Niketa … time's running out."

            He looked at Dr Gero strangely.  Why was he doing that?  He didn't care he just ran out the lab as fast as he could, the further away the better he felt.

            He ran to the rocky edge and looked down, panting hard for breath.  How was Dr Gero going catch him?  He was a just an old man who would get out of breath if he ran for thirty seconds, so he didn't bother to run any more, as long at the old guy didn't cheat he was fine.  He slowly continued to walk away from the lab, trying to forget all he saw when he heard a noise.  He promptly turned around to see what it was, but nothing was there except rock and dirt.  He rolled up his sleeves and put his hands at the back of his head.  He closed his frosted blue eyes for a moment then opened them again, looking to the ground.  He slowly let his arms slump to the side as he crouched down to look at the ground further, then looked up in the sky.  There he saw a person, just standing in the air, arms folded and eyes locked on him.  He slowly began to drift down, but didn't touch the ground.  He was a lot taller than Niketa and bulkier too.  Short orange hair and eyes almost the same colour as his.  He backed away from the person.

            "What the hell is that?" he spoke to himself more; he didn't expect this giant to answer his question.  He didn't speak at all, just stared straight at Niketa.

            "Your presence is requested by Dr Gero," he finally spoke in a gruff tone.

            "The hell it is!  I ain't going back to that freak-show!  No way am I going back there, I'd rather die!"  Please don't take that literally. "All right big guy, lets make a deal.  You let me go and I'll … let you have the honour of being my friend," he joked, but the silent giant didn't see the funny side.  "Fine, you can have my coin collection … even though I don't have one, you can still have it."

            The large man landed on the ground with a thud and continued to stare at the raven-haired boy.

            Ok, pissing him off isn't going to get me out of here alive.

            He tried to think of a way to get him out of this situation that he was in, so he said the first thing that came into his head.

            "Look," he pointed, "a coyote eating a squirrel!"

            The big guy turned around and saw nothing but rock, rock and more rock.  When he turned around he saw…

"Oh Jesus, I never thought that would work.  Now run, Niketa, and keep on running if you want to live.  No way am I going back to that place."

            He ran as fast as he could, avoiding all barriers to slow him down.  He pushed his long sleek hair from out of his face as he sprinted away.  He didn't know how much further he could run, but he knew that if he stopped, that big guy would get him for sure.  As he ran he suddenly felt his feet fall to the ground as a wave of pain ran though his body.  He tripped over a rock and fell, unfortunately not having enough time to slow down to stop himself from falling off the cliff-side.  He gripped onto the edge as hard as he could, trying to pull himself back up to the top, but he could feel the cliff-edge begin to crumble beneath his fingers.  It wouldn't take the full weight of him.  He desperately tried to get a better grip.  He kicked his leg onto a ledge and pushed himself up, but only by a couple of centimetres, but it supported him.  He dug his fingers into the rock as he felt the small ledge crumble and give way.  He still had a firm grip on the cliff, but wasn't too confident about whether he would be able to pull himself up fully.  Niketa yelled out in pain as one side of the cliff fell apart, red dust and small flakes of rock shooting into his eyes.  He hung on for his life with one arm; he couldn't lift the other up high enough to grip onto the ledge.  He could feel his warm blood seeping from the large cut in his hand that the fall had caused.  

            The boy didn't want to think of anything, but knew that he was never going to see his sister again; he wouldn't be there to protect her.  What if that Dr Gero sent that big guy to get her?  What if they hurt her?

            I can't believe I'm going die like this!  I can't seem to get a good enough grip on the cliff; it's going to give way any minute now, I can feel it.  

            If that Dr Gero does anything to hurt my sister!! 

            What good am I? I won't even be there to help her, protect her.  I was supposed to be looking out for her, that's what I should have been doing.  I should have left that freak when I had the chance … how the hell did we get stuck with him anyway? 

            I swear Dr Gero; if you do anything to hurt my sister I swear I'll kill you will my own hands!!

            He tried to open his eyes, but they just stung too much, he couldn't see anything, all he knew was that the cliff was going to give way any moment.  He could feel the remainder of the ledge collapse under his weight and the next thing he knew was he was falling fast, straight down, straight to his death.  He grinded his teeth and prepared for the worse, the rocks below waiting to piece his body, rip it to shreds.  He didn't want to imagine so much pain being indulged at one, but he couldn't anything to stop it.  The fall was slow to him, waiting, waiting to die.  Maybe it was his mind playing tricks on him; a fall couldn't be that slow.  He managed to open his eyes slightly, but wanted to shut them as quickly as he opened them.  His last sight were the rocks below him, approaching more rapidly and fast.  His last breath being the scream which he could no longer hold when he hit the floor and his last memory being how he had let his sister down, so tragically and painfully to both him and her. 

            He opened his eyes, slowly so they could adjust to the setting.  Where was he?  Was this hell?  He remembered falling hard and fast to the ground.  The pain flowed back to him, it was like what he experienced all over again, only this time he was able to remember feeling it all over.  He didn't sit up immediately, but then something strange, familiar.  The smell, he'd smelt it somewhere before.  The same foul stench that he smelt in…

            He quickly rose, shacking his head from rising to fast, and looked around.  He knew it, the same smell.  He was -- how was this possible?  It wasn't possible, even in death that lab still haunted him, he still haunted him.  He closed his eyes; he didn't want to look at it.

            "Ahh, so you're finally awake, my dear lad…" It was a voice no one could ever forget, especially him.  "You had me quite worried for a moment, and I'm pretty sure that your sister would have been so too."

            "What?" he said dazed.

            "Don't worry, it'll all become perfectly clear when the time comes," Dr Gero said softly. 

            "Why?  What have you done to me?"  His voice was emotionless and his eyes more cold.

            "Me?"  He pointed to himself and smiled.  "Well, you could say that I saved your life -- well, what was left of it, that was quite a fall."

            "How -- how did I survive?"

            The old genius smiled again and laughed lightly.

            "Ho, you didn't survive, my lad … oh no.  That fall was a clear one to the death.  It was lucky 16 was there to bring back what was left of you in time for me to save your life."

            "So…"

            "Nothing like that will happen again, don't worry."  Dr Gero walked over to him and examined him carefully.  "Very life like, not even your sister will tell.  You do remember her, don't you?"

            His steel blue eyes grew smaller as he gave the Dr an evil glare.

            "Of course I remember my sister, how could I forget?!  And I still remember you, and what I said!"

            "I am impressed you still remember, it would be such a shame for me to erase them, it's all you have left of you're old life."

            "What are you talking about?!"  He was becoming impatient with the aging genius.

            "Temper, temper 17."  He motioned with his arms for him to calm down.

            The blacked haired boy instantly stopped and looked at Dr Gero in bewilderment. 

            "What -- what did you just call me?"

            "17.  Because that what you are, number 17.  Android 17 … my latest creation."  With that he walked out the room and left Android 17 alone to ponder on what he said.

            He slowly jumped off the table and looked at it and all around it.  A large black operating table surrounded by operating equipment.  Sharp scalpels, small plastic things, razors and a small sharp drill.  He didn't like the sight of it any more that first time.  What had Dr Gero done to him?  He pondered for along time and then something suddenly caught his eye, a large roll of blueprints at the top read, 'Android 17'.  He dropped them to the floor in shock.  So that's what happened.  He looked over to the strange tubes and notices two were empty, one read 17 and the other read 18.  His eyes widened at the though he had.

            "If I'm 17, then … Lieta!!"

            He ran out of the lab as quickly as he could, he needed to get to his sister and fast, he wouldn't let Dr Gero do the same thing to her as what he did to him.  He just wouldn't.

            "I mean my word Dr Gero … this time I can keep it!"

            He shook his head and realised that he wasn't in Dr Gero's lab, it was another lab, a strange one.  He didn't like the idea of being in here, he woke up on an operating table, last time that happened he was turned into the monster that he was.  What could be worse?  Something happened, he had a feeling.  He didn't like it and wanted to leave, quickly.  There was only one door, but what could possibly stop him from blasting a hole in the wall?

            He held up his hand to the wall…

            They all turned from where they were sitting and looked at the white door and listened at the loud sounds coming from the room.  The sound of chairs falling and glass breaking, and that was slowly followed by the pained cursing of a very angry Android 17.

            "Oh, I take it he's awake then," Bulma said, looking at Krillin and 18.

To be continued…


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four: Dead End

            They all turned from where they were sitting and looked at the white door and listened at the loud sounds coming from the room.  The sound of chairs falling and glass breaking, and that was slowly followed by the pained cursing of a very angry Android 17.

            "Oh, I take it he's awake then," Bulma said, looking at Krillin and 18.

            "Was he always this grouchy when he first wakes up?" Krillin asked his wife, who didn't answer the question -- or acknowledge it.  She just stared plainly at the door, knowing that her brother was there, the same being that she'd made no contact with in almost 7 years.

            "Can I see him?"  She looked over to Bulma, who pulled on the sleeve of her coat.

            "Sure you can, she smiled."

            "Are -- are you sure it's safe, Bulma?"  Krillin pushed past and looked up at the blue haired scientist that stood only inches away.  "I mean, listen to him!"  He bent down and placed his hands over his little girl's ears, not wanting her to repeat any of the words that she may have heard today.

            "Oh it's perfectly safe," she beamed.  "I implanted a chip into him that sends a small electrical current through him if he attempts to use his powers."

            "I feel so much safer now, Bulma," he sneered sarcastically.

            Bulma turned to him.  "I told you, Krillin, he's perfectly safe to be around.  As long as that chip I planted is activated, it's not possible for him to use his powers.  Using his fists is a different matter though," she said.

            "Great, now he'll walk around the streets punching people in the face."

            "Well, what could I do?  Surgically remove his arms and legs so he can't hurt anyone?"

            "Yeah," he replied.  "Also, I would have removed his vocal cords.  I know I wouldn't be a happy parent to hear my child hear or say the things he's coming out with."  

            Bulma sighed and placed her hands on her hips.  

            "You do have to take into consideration, Krillin, that he is, technically speaking, still a teenager and teenagers do swear … a lot," she told him, wondering whether Trunks would be anything like that when he became a teenager.

            18 stood staring at the door that separated her and her brother.  Did she really want to see him again?  She would have to explain that she's changed for the better and has a family.  Maybe she should explain to him first before showing him Krillin and Marron.  She looked back at Bulma and Krillin, who still had his hands over her ears.  She rolled her eyes looked back when she could no longer hear her brother swearing and yelling.

            Krillin stopped arguing and let his hands drop from Marron's ears, smiling and patting her on the head.

            "I wonder what happened?" he asked.  "Is it possible for him to kill himself?  Maybe he electrocuted himself."   

            Bulma sighed and looked at him.

            "I very much doubt that, Krillin.  He's probably figured it out that using his powers is what's causing the pain."

            "Anything is possible with androids, Bulma." 

            Bulma decided to ignore him and walked lightly over to 18.

            "You ready?" she asked and 18 nodded.  

            Bulma nodded herself and placed her hand on the door handle and turned it.  She suddenly felt her own nerve beginning to flare up at the fact Android 17 was awake.  She took a breath and pushed the door open.  

            "What do you think you're doing?!" she yelled as she say Android 17 about to throw her chair at the wall.  He had his back to them and hadn't noticed that 18 was in the same room as him.

            "What does it look like I'm doing!?" he snarled.  "I'm going to throw this chair and hope the wall is poorly made and makes enough damage for me to get out of this formidable hellhole!"

            "That's my lab you're calling a hellhole!" she yelled back.

            17 slowly put the chair on the floor and thought for a moment.  The person had said it was her lab, then that must mean that it was her that did something to him when he was out cold.  He spun around quickly and looked at Bulma.

            "What did you do to me!?" he demanded and looked over her shoulder, seeing a sight that he thought he would never see again.  "Sis," he said, unsure what to actually say next.  He then wondered what she was doing in this place.  "What are you doing…" he trailed off the sentence as he looked closer at his sister.  "Holding that short little human's hand??" 

            18 looked down at her hand, seeing her fingers entwined with Krillin's.  She squeezed it hard and smiled reassuringly at her husband as she let go.  She walked slowly over to 17, neither of them showing any signs of happiness or anger.  Both of them just stared at each other.

            Krillin tilted his head and watched in confused, wondering why they were both standing there motionless.  18 was slowly taking steps towards her brother, almost scared.  She hesitated slightly, but her solemn expression grew to that of a smile when she threw her arms around his neck.

            "I've missed you so much, 17," she cried happily.  "I thought I'd never see you again."

            "Yeah," he replied listlessly, "me too."

            He delicately stroked the back of her head as she cried happily on his shoulder.  He was pleased to see her.  He had been searching for her for all this time, but never had he thought he'd ever see his sister with a human.  A human who had been in the company of Goku's son and Vegeta last time he saw him.  He didn't understand what was going on; maybe it was some kind of trick.

            18 finally pulled away at looked at 17; her eyes were red and her smile wide. 

            "When I couldn't find you all that time ago, I thought you were gone for sure.  It was a long time to search and I just…" She didn't want to say that she gave up on finding him, she never had.  She had always believed that she would know if anything really bad had happened to him.  She didn't know how, she just knew she would.  She looked confused when he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked sombrely at her, making her wonder if he was as delighted to see her as she was him.   

            17 stole a glance at Krillin and Bulma before planting his full attention to his sister.

            "What -- what's going on, 18?  Why are you with these humans?"

            18 swallowed hard and prepared herself for what she would have to explain to 17. 

To be continued…


End file.
